Safety device



March 30, 1926.

J. v. GIESLER SAFETY DEVICE Filed March 12 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l March .30 1926. 1.5785 9 J. V. GIESLER SAFETY DEVICE Filed March 12 1923, 2 Sheecg-Sfieet 2 Wfw avwcwtm PatentedMar. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,578,599 NT OFFIC JEAN V. GIESLER, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO THE FULTON COMPANY, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION MAINE;

SAFETY DEVICE.

App1ication fi1ed-March'12, 192's. Serial No. 624,648. i

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, JEAN V. GinsLn-n, a' citizen of the United States, and a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices, whichrinvention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to safety devices and, while capable of a variety of uses, is of particular utility when "employed with burners using a liquid fuel.

It is customary to supply burners employ- 7 ing a. liquid fuel with fluid under pressure,

such as airfor example, to atomizethe fuel or to assist in supporting the' combustion of the fuel or both. If the flow of fluid under pressure stops for any reason, such for in.-

stanceas may occur because of the stoppingof the motor of the air compressor, the continuing flow of the fuel will cause the flooding of the burner, with the resultant danger of fire or even explosion. To overcome this difficulty it hasbeen proposed to connect'a valve in the fuel line directly to a diaphragm subjected to the pressure of such fluid flowing to the burner, so that the diaphragm will hold the fuelvalve open under the action of the pressure, but when there is a drop in the pressure, thefuel valve will'be closed by the movement of the diaphragm. Devices of this type, however, possess the grave disadvantage that the fuel valve will be opened immediately that't-he fluid pressure is restored, sothat unless the attendant is present to light the burner immediately, there is still the likelihood offlooding the burner with the resultant danger of fire 'or explosion. To avoid this latter difficulty, it

has been proposed to provide the fuel valve with a weighted lever and to provide the diaphragm'sub ected to fluid pressure \Vlllh a detent to cooperate wlthfsaidlever and hold the fuel valve open while the fluid presv sure is maintained, the fuel valve'being re-- leased by the diaphragm detent upon a decrease in the pressure of the fluid supply; in

this case the fuel valve can be opened onlyby a manual resetting of the device. De-

vices of this latter character, however, also possess secrious disadvantages among which may 'be'noted the fact that the'parts of the trip mechanism are likely tobecome worn or get out of alignment so that they fail to operate satisfactorily; the diaphragm is a1 y asses t9 t efiusti a gflu d pres:

sures even though the fuel valve is not open; when the fluid pressure is restored, so that the diaphragm is bulged outwardly, it is diflicult to reset the trip Ilevice', particularly if the fluid pressure is large, because of the necessity of flexing the diaphragm against the fluid pressure acting thereon; there is'no positive connection between positively moved parts of the pressure-responsive device and the fuel valve to insurethe closure of the latter upon ope-ration of the diaphragm, etc.

ltis an object of this invention to provide a safety device of the type under consideration wherein a part which is positively movable with the diaphragn'i or flexible wall is directly connected to the fuel valve to insure closure of the latter upon failure of the pressure-fluid supply and yet wherein the fuel valve will not; bejopenedby the return of" the fluid ressure. r 1

Another object of this'invention is to pro vide a safety device of the type under consideration whereby'the-useof trip mechanism with its consequent disadvantages may be avoided and yet the fuel valve can be opened only by'a manual resetting of the device. I

Another object of this invention is to provide a safety device of the type under consideration wherein the source-of fluid under pressure is disconnected from the flexible Wall for operating the fuel valve upon the closure of the latter. a

Another object of this invention is to provide a safety device of the type under consideration wherein the chamber associated with the flexible wall for-operating the fuel valve, is vented to the atmosphere when it is disconnected from the source of fluid under pressure, to insure-thatleakage of this fluidinto this chamber shall not develop a pressure, in said chamber which will open the" 1 Another sideration which is simple in construction, which may be readlly ad us ted to conform with the fluid pressure tobe employed with different burners under different Q conditions,

object of thisinventioiiis to pro} vide a'safety device of the type underfcon j in 7 both figures Fig. 1 is an, elevation embodylng the present invention; and

2 is an axial section on an enlarged .scale' through the fuel valve, the flexible wall and theassociated parts.

In the'it'orm shown, 1 designates a conduit, such as is commonly employed for conveying a liquid fuel to a burner. Interposed in said conduit is a valve housing 2 of any suitableconstruction and adapted to be connected to the sections of said conduits by the 1111101193.. lVithin the valve housing 2 is a valve 4i of any suitable form provided 1 with a valve stem 5 which projects eXteriorly of the housing as shown at 6, and is there suitably connected to a slottedmember 7 provided with a threaded extension 8. Said tl1readed=eXtension 8 is adjustably connectedto a threaded sleeve 9 projecting from a plate 1.0 which bears against, but in most cases need not be connected'to, the movable end wall 11- of an eXpansi-ble andr collapsible chamber .12. Said chamber may be of any suitable construction, being shown as formed by a flexible corrugated tubular wall 1-3, preferably ofseamless resilient metal, suit- 7 ably secured, as by soldering or brazing, to

the movable end wall or closure member 11 at one end, and tea stationary, preferably rigid, end wail-11st at its opposite end,- Pro jec'tingfrom said stationary end wall 14, and formed either integrally therewith or suitablyconnected thereto, is a nipple '15 provided with a passage 16 which cornmunic-ates through the end wall 14 with the interior of the Chamber 12. The opposite end.

1 or: said passage '16'communicates through a tione. beta valve housing 17 with a conduit 18 which leads from any suitable portion of the pressure fluid system, such for example as. a pipe for conveying the fluid, as air, under pressure to the burner to aid in t ihQ QQlII? bastion of the fuel by atomizing' thetuel 0 furnishing a combustion supporting-fluidor both. Valve housing 1'? containsna valve 19 Q1 any suitable te mv for op n ng-and al e i11'g- 11e.cm ecti s etween.- his. s u ce; or, fluid-under pressure and the chamber- 12.

In order that leakage of fluid past-the valve 19' shall not build up a pressure in the chamber 12,- it; is also desirable that the chamber 12 shall beventedtothe atmos:

pliers when the valve :19 closes said connec blade rues ,enitheisnurce-o of a safety device sure andsaid chamber. In the form shown, the valve 19, is tightly but rotatably mounted in a recess in the housing 17 and provided. with a passage20 extending: dia metrically, through the same and a second passage extending at right angles from said passz'ige 20 to the surface of the valve member. The valvehousing 17 is also provided with an apertureor port22 in posi 'tion to register with the passage 20 when the passage 21 is in communication with the frame 23, is preferably provided intermedi,

ate its length with a port-ion 27- having a passage 28, in alignment with the valve stem 5, 6 and: the threaded extension 8 on the member '7, in which is suitably secured a sleeve 29 provided with an interior bore which affords a sliding lit for the sleeve 9 to guide the valve stem and restrict it to rectilinear movement. In the form shown, the sleeve 29 is exteriorly threaded at one. end and held in position by the setscrew 30, and a nut 31 thereon, which engages thetop of the frame portion 27, cooperates with this threaded sleeve to adjust the latter so that its upper endwill be engaged by the plate 10, when the chamber 12 is expanded, before the valve 4 engages its housing, to therehy relieve. the valve stemfi,

6 of the thrust of end walllfl of said-chamber while the valve 4 is heldopen. The upper portion 32 of the frame 23 is also provided with a passage 33 which receives the nipple 15 projecting from the stationary end wall 14 of the chamber 12. and forms a rigid abutment for said stationary end wall, said end wall; being preferably clamped fixedly to said portion 32io-f the frame 23 by a nut t re d nt th Proj c ing an o t ippl 15- If s ed, the tat onary an Wall is may a so e r-rya hausing 8 to P otect the flex ell 3 from inciden injury, I

Bivotally mounted on; the;- iran e at S p si ma wo 0 clrw tsbe ns shown d ,53? wer t sighted ev 35 thee-ugh; it anal-tsetse pressure-ta is a fulcrun'i'me nper 33' on which is pivoted slotted member 7 on the valve stem 5, 6 is therefore adapted to close the valve 4 when tion between the source of fluid under pres sure and the chamber 12 and to vent the interior of said chamber to the atmosphere. To effect simultaneous actuation of said valves, the valve 19 is preferably operated from the lever 39 and, to this end, is pro-' vided with a lateral arm 4st to which is pivoted at 45 an adjustable link 46 which, at its opposite end, is pivoted at 17 on the lever U! I T he parts are shown in the drawings as i the position which they assume when the' 'alves in the fuel and the pressure-fluid lines are closed. To open said valves the opera.- tor lifts the weighted lever 39, and this lever through its connection tothe'valve stem 5, 6 opens the valve 4, and through the link 18, rotates the arm 14: and valve 19 to close the vent 22 and complete the connection from the conduit 18 to the interior-of the chamber weights 42 and 43 have been so adjusted that they are balanced by the normal pressure in the chamber 12 acting on said movable end wall 11, the weighted lever 39 will beheld in its elevated position, and the valve 1, will" be maintained open, by the pressure of the movable end wall 11 on the plate connected to the slotted member 7 and valve stem 5, 6. If for any reason the pressure in the chamber 12 drops below normal, the weighted lever 39 overbalances the pressure on the movable end wall 11 and collapses the chamber 12, at the same time closing the valve i in the fuel line. Simultaneously with the falling of the weighted lever 39 it pulls on the link 4-6 to rotate the armed, and the valve 19 is moved to close the passage from the conduit 18 to the chamber 12, at the same time bringing its passage into register with the vent 22 and its passage 21 into communication with the passage 16. There upon the fluid in the chamber 12 is vented to the atmosphere, and so long as the chaun ber 19 remains in this position, super atmospheric pressure cannot be built up in said chamber. The parts will remain in this position until the operator again lifts the weighted lever 39 to open the valve 1 and restore communication between the source of air' under pressure and the chamber 12.

it ill therefore be perceived that a safety device has been provided in which the flexible wall, which moves in response to variati ns o flair-l Pre s re s a; e ted to were directly connected to the fuel valve as to iusurethat thelatter is positively closed when said flexible wall is actuated by a drop in the fluid pressure. At the same time means have been provided whereby said flexible wall is rendered inoperative to open the fuel valve'upon return of the pressure, insuring thatthe "attendant must be present to light the burner before fuel is again admitted thereto, but without use of any detent or trip devicewhich islikely to become worn or out of alignment. It will. also be perceived that all of the time that the fuel valve is closed thefluid under pressure'is excluded from the chamber so that the flexible wall does not; respond to fluctuations of pressure nor eoppose the resetting of the device, and that this chamber is vented to the atmosphere all of the time that the fuel valve is closed so that there is no danger that leakage will build up a pressure which will prematurely open the fuel valve.

While the present invention has been described in its preferred use, for which it possesses particular utility, it-is to be understood that this safety device is capable of use in other relations wherein a fuel or other suitable valve is to be controlled by a suitable source of fluid under pressure. -Moreover, while the embodiment of the invention illustrated on the drawings has been 1 described with considerable particularity, it is to .be expressly understood that the invention is not restricted thereto, as the same is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, some of which will now readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, while certain features of the invention can be used without other features thereof, and changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and proportion of parts, without departing from the spirit of this invention. Reference is therefore to be had to the claims hereto appended fora definition of said invention.

What is claimed is 1. In combination with a fuel conduit and a source of fluid under pressure, an axially movable seating valve in said conduit, a chamber having an axially flexiblewall, a permanent direct connection between said wall and said valve, connections between said chamber and said source of fluid under pres sure, means adapted to move said flexible wall and close said fuel valve upon a predetermined drop in said fluid pressure, a valve in said connections, and means operatedbv saidmeans for closing said fuel valve for closing said valve in said connections. '1

2. The combination of a fuel conduit, a valve in said. conduit, a chamber having a flexible wall adapted to control saidvalve, a conduit for conveying fluid under pressure. to said i i-newer, valve n said last-p in d conduit adapted to close said conduit and. open the interior of said chamber tothe-atmosphere, means adapted to move said flexible. Wall and effect the closure of: said fuel:

her to the atai'iosphere upon closure of said.

fuel valve. 4 I

3. In combination With a condu t for conveying fuel and a source of fluid under pressureto aid in the combustion'ofi said fuel, a valve in said fuel conduit, achamber having a flexible wall adapted to control: said valve, connections betweenv said chamber and said source o-f fiuid under pressure, means'a-dapted to move said flexible Wall and close said valve n pona predetermined drop in said fluid pressure, and means for disconnectingsaidchamberfrom said sour-6e Offifluidimder pressure and venting said chamber to the atmosphere upon the closure of said fuel: valve.

4. In a safety device, the combination of a valve, a chamber having a flexiblewall adapted to control said valve, a condult for conveying a fluid under pressure to said 7 chamber, a valve adapted to close said con-. 1

duit and vent said chamber to the atmosphere, and'means cooperating with sald fie :1. ble wallyto close said: valves and vent said chamber upon a predetermined drop in pressure-in said chamber.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification. v

TEAN V. GIESLER. 

